


We Are All Flowers of the Future!

by orphan_account



Series: Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS [1]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: ALL STARS AU, F/F, Gen, subunit au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-18 01:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21502861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Umi, Ayumu and Ruby are put together in a sub-unit after a big group raffle.
Relationships: Ayumu Uehara/Ruby Kurosawa, Ayumu Uehara/Umi Sonoda, Ayumu Uehara/Umi Sonoda/Ruby Kurosawa, Umi Sonoda/Ruby Kurosawa
Series: Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1549897
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Our Dreams Begin with a Single Step!

**Author's Note:**

> This was a sub-unit made by my friend @imfuckincryingtm on instagram that I wanted to write about. This takes place in the ALL STARS canon, so the girls are all still in high school, competing in idol groups.

Umi Sonoda was an ordinary person, but that was only if you considered an international celebrity an ordinary person, which Umi had. Aside from winning the Love Live! festival for school idols in Japan, she hadn't done much. Maybe she was exceptional at archery, a straight-A student, and the ideal Yamato Nadeshiko, but she truly considered it all natural - a result of herself being a natural talent. There was nothing special about her, as far as she was concerned. She was quite boring, in fact.

That's why she was squinting at the two girls that sat around the kotatsu with her, her hazel eyes scrutinizing their individual appearances carefully. On her right was Ayumu Uehara, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair that fell to her shoulders, a section tied off in a hefty bun on one side of her head, behind her ear. Her skin was a healthy, peachy color, and the look in her brown eyes was faint, but welcoming. On her left was a small, pale girl - shaking like a leaf - with bright red hair messily cut to her chin, half-done in two childish pigtails. This was the youngest daughter of the Kurosawa family, Ruby Kurosawa. Despite Ruby's best effort, she could not stop the squeak that slipped past her lips when Umi looked at her with an especially discerning gaze, her pigtails flopping up in the air before settling behind her as quickly as they had flown.

They were both very cute - and casual too. Ayumu was wearing a blue-and-white blouse, not a wrinkle present on it. The collar was sewn onto her neckline nicely, and the blouse was tucked into a pretty waist-high blue skirt, slightly pleated if you looked close enough. It gave off the impression that Ayumu was a very girly girl, but in a more motherly way, as opposed to the childish way Ruby dressed. She was wearing a light magenta dress with a thick white stripe starting at her shoulders, the entire dress lined with thin black fabric frills, especially around the skirt, where they bunched up along her knees as she kneeled on the ground. Susceptible to chills, she was wearing a black vest-jacket, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

In comparison, Umi had just gotten back from archery practice. Her long black hair was tied back in a loose, low ponytail, the pants of her yukata piling at her ankles as the top section of it gathered at her shoulders. It was very loose - very comfortable - and contrasted nicely against the short skirts Kotori had bought her, or the crop tops Honoka had so _generously_ donated. Umi had loathed herself in a way for being so boyish, but even a year's worth of skimpy idol costumes couldn't soothe her modest heart to be comfortable wearing them in public.

Thinking over her insecurities had finally drawn her attention to the eerily silent room, to which she swallowed lightly. Had her gaze really been that intimidating? She most certainly didn't mean for it to come across as such - it was just a once-over look, but maybe such a thing was too impolite, but also, was it really wrong? Besides the sub-unit drawings, she had only seen their lives, and Ayumu being especially new to the scene, she had only seen a few of hers, but she felt as if she could accurately judge her before speaking, but _wasn't that presumptious_?

"Ah, Sonoda-san?" A light voice had broke the silence, Umi snapping out of her haze to see the source had been Ayumu. Her smile was genuine, but the sweat running down her chin hinted that the smile could just as easily wither away, "Is something the matter?"

"N-No! Not at all! I was just... Uhm, ConFIDE is the name, right?"

"Ah, yes! Of course!" Ayumu pushed over a piece of paper towards Umi, Umi looking at the peach-hued paper nervously for a second before taking it.

"Is this...?"

"Kurosawa-san wrote it," Ayumu spoke politely, Ruby looking over at her with a (seemingly) calm smile, although the way her eyes kept drifting over to Umi would make you think otherwise, "She took a calligraphy class at a young age, so the lettering may be stra-"

"No, no. I can read it fine, but..." Umi looked over at Ayumu more-so than Ruby, "Why is it stylized as ConFIDE-"

"CONFIDE COMES FROM THE SPANISH _CON_ , MEANING _WITH,_ AND THE LATIN _BONA FIDE_ , MEANING _GOOD FAITH_!!"

"..." Ayumu and Umi looked at Ruby, who was standing tall and confident from the kotatsu. Or, she was, but when both their gazes had been focused on her, Ruby's knees buckled beneath her as she settled down, muttering apologies.

"Sorry....!" Ruby had said quickly once more, "But, me and Ayumu-chan, we thought the name suited our group in that we'd have good faith not only in ourselves, but in the people that supported us. Honoka-chan and Kotori-chan - although I've only spoken to them once - said that _Umi-chan is wonderful for a group, since she leads our rigorous training all the time_."

A faint blush settled on Umi's face as she averted her gaze, "Ah, is that so...?"

"Mhm!" Ayumu nodded fervently, looking at Umi. "You're very dedicated to your craft, Sonoda-san! Without you and Kurosawa-san - the older Kurosawa-san - μ's and Aqours would have never succeeded in their idol careers. It's obvious that you're a very honest and reliable person, extraordinary in a sense. For that reason, we felt the name ConFIDE would suit you very well - that it would suit _us_ very well."

"...I understand." Umi spoke quietly, Ruby's neck turning from Ayumu to Umi so fast, you'd fear the first-year might get whiplash.

Ruby was intensely relieved, however, when Umi's eyes met hers and Ayumu's, a smile present on her face. Wordlessly, Umi put her hand in the center of the table, paper still in hand as Ayumu and Ruby put their own hands over hers.

"It's decided then! One..."

"Two..."

"Three...!"

They all spoke in unison, throwing their hands up in the air, "WE ARE CONFIDE!"

The three girls all laughed to themselves, Umi's eyes softening a bit as she glanced from Ayumu to Ruby. For the first time since she had been a school idol, she felt truly out-of-the-ordinary.

* * *

"So, Ruby-chan?" Umi spoke up.

"Ah! Uhm.... yes, Umi-san..." Ruby gathered her things clumsily. Since Ayumu had to leave on a family emergency, this left Ruby alone with Umi, "Did you need something?"

"Yes, I just thought your handwriting was cute," Umi replied simply, Ruby squeaking a bit as she turned her head away, "You learned calligraphy?"

"Yeah, along with my sister... It's not very good though - you can barely read it in Japanese..."

Umi began to rise from her place on the floor, "It's obviously more influenced from Western calligraphy, but that doesn't mean it's bad-"

"It is! Even my sister gave up after a while, so I just write normally-!"

Umi put her hand on Ruby's shoulder, Ruby quickly turning around to face her, letting out a small gasp at the contact.

"I can teach you Japanese calligraphy if you come over with Ayumu-chan," Umi said calmly, handing Ruby her paper, "It'll be a challenge, but so long as we learn together, it should go quickly."

"U-Uhm... yeah... I suppose so," Ruby managed, looking down at Umi's hands and her own. Umi had very long, beautiful fingers, yet her hands were still soft and delicate, much like Ruby's older sister. Her skin was slightly tanned, giving her a very outdoorsy feel that Ruby couldn't place on anyone, aside from Kanan, "I'll call you... l-later..."

"Hmm? What was that?"

"I SAID THANK YOU VERY MUCH I'LL CALL LATER!!" Ruby shouted suddenly, her face as red as her hair. She stumbled a bit as she ran out Umi's room, nearly slipping on the kotatsu mat before stopping herself at the sliding door, "I'LL BE SURE TO SEE YOU LATER, UMI-CHAN!!"

The door shut, Umi blinking for a moment before laughing to herself in the now-empty room.

"Umi- _chan,_ huh? How ordinary."


	2. A Reason for Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets at Ruby's house, where Ayumu's insecurities get the better of her.

The Kurosawa family was a very traditional - and rich - family in the small seaside town of Numazu. Since it had been the first week of winter holiday, Ruby had been sent to go home with her sister alone. At least, that had been the plan initially, had Umi not been a part of the equally rigid Sonoda family, known for their exports in cloth and grains. Seeing it as an opportunity to get to know her fellow group members, Ruby had begged her sister, Dia, to fly Ayumu and Umi out, and so all four girls were now in Numazu underneath the Kurosawa household's roof.

They were each wearing pretty kimonos for the impending break, Ayumu's kimono having been a gift from Ruby herself, who was quite the seamstress despite her usual clumsiness. It was a nice magenta color, the pattern consisting of simple cherry blossom petals and light brown tree branches to match, the sleeves falling past Ayumu's elbows and the sash a creamy yellow. Unlike her usual style, Ayumu's peachy-toned hair was down to her shoulders, revealing that her hair was nicely trimmed and naturally straight, her bangs parted in the middle.

Umi's kimono was a dark blue, decorated with crimson flowers and faint goldfish. White, puffy cotton lined the top of her kimono, her black hair down past her back as it had always been. Her hair was such a nice contrast against the deep crimson, showcasing how Umi's fashion was quite simple and easy-to-understand, much like herself. The sleeves brushed the tabletop, even as she held her cup up to her mouth with both hands to take a light sip of her green tea.

"So, Aidoru FREAK is your group name, onee-chan?" Ruby began, her hairstyle in its usual half-up pigtail style, "It's a strange name..."

Ruby's kimono was a nice, pretty pink, decorated with flower patterns so intricate, you'd wonder how it was even possible for the fabric to take it properly. Her sleeves were very loose; however, unlike Umi's, the looseness hindered Ruby's movements somewhat, as the kimono had not been fully fitted to her body. A hand-me-down from my big sister, she would say.

"Yes," Dia spoke calmly, her long, raven hair tied back into an elaborate bun, "Although I did not approve of such a thing... that honor belongs to Nico-san."

A deep black, Dia's kimono was decorated with crimson outlines of ravens, hints of lily blooms and orchids hidden among them. Unlike Ruby's, the kimono was properly fitted to her body, the white sash tied in a neat bow around her waist as opposed to the amateur way in which Ruby's pink one had been done. Despite this, you could tell Dia was not used to her sleeves being the proper size, as she seemed uncomfortable with the way her wrists had been exposed to the cold air.

"It must be interesting working with Nico," Umi said with a reverent smile, "Aside from our main group, I've never seen how she acts with a small bunch of people."

"She's terribly bossy," Dia said with a sigh, setting her cup down on the table, "Nico-san has a terrible attitude when it comes to collaboration - Setsuna and I couldn't get a single word in, and I found my headache growing by the minute... I don't believe she's all bad though, seeing her reaction to a call from home."

"Wow... Nico-san sounds really scary..." Ruby said, looking over at her older sister with worry, "It's not too much stress on you, right, onee-chan?"

"No, not at all. Aside from the occasional hiccup here and there..." Dia trailed off, shivering uncomfortably as frills filled her mind, "Nico-san and Setsuna-san are quite dedicated to their craft! I'm honored to be working with them."

Ayumu shifted a bit, her feet getting terribly cramped from kneeling down in front of the kotatsu.

"Hmm? Is there something the matter, Ayumu?" Umi spoke softly, calling everyone's attention.

"Yes, is there something wrong?" Dia wondered aloud, her voice prim and neat, "Could it be there's a draft?"

"Uhm, yes... It's quite cold. I believe the heater's run out of gas..." Ayumu muttered, her face glowing a sickly pale as she looked around the room. Luckily for her, the heater had indeed run dry.

"Oh my!" Dia cried, Ruby shifting from her side.

"I'll get your winter coat, onee-chan!" The petite girl called, running up the stairs in her plain socks.

"The tank is quite heavy, Ruby!" Dia cried out to her sister, "You'll have to come with me!"

An indistinct complaint could be heard from Ruby, Dia rolling her eyes with a soft smile as she turned to Umi and Ayumu, "Sorry about the trouble, Ayumu-san. It will only be a moment."

"Ah, it's fine. Please don't worry yourself."

Ruby came down the stairs with two thick coats, Dia's a royal purple and Ruby's a light khaki shade. Wordlessly, she gestured for her sister to take the coat, Dia slipping the coat over her shoulders as Ruby did her own, only struggling with the top two buttons before intervention from Dia.

"We'll be back soon!" Dia called, leaving Umi and Ayumu alone in the slightly chilled room, Ruby looking back at the duo and giving a nervous wave before following her sister's lead.

Umi sighed a breath of relief, "Phew... Dia-san... She really is a tried and true Japanese lady. Reminds me of my grandmother before she passed..."

"Yeah..."

"Ayumu?" Umi leaned over on the table, "Is something the matter?"

"Hmm... It's just that..." Ayumu shifted uncomfortably under Umi's gaze, rolling her hands over the other, "Kurosawa-san and her group are getting along well, even though it's only been two weeks. They're already fighting, and even as we speak, Kurosawa-san looks at Yazawa-san and Yuki-san with fondness and familiarity... I feel a little jealous."

"..."

"I've always been an only child, and even then, I've felt it hard to connect to everyone," Ayumu continued, straightening her back, "I've never had any childhood friends, siblings, or anything like that, so seeing you and Ruby do it so easily always makes me feel awkward..."

She paused, thinking about a certain someone in particular, her face heating up, "A-Ah, I shouldn't say I don't have _any_ childhood friends - if it wasn't for that person, I wouldn't be here in the first place, but after they made the initial suggestion... they moved away. I always felt that it was because I was too distant - too awkward. I'd never really shared a lot of interests with them, but just having them as a friend... quietly..."

Just then, Ayumu felt a hand on her head, causing her gaze to travel up to see Umi's hand on her head, lightly stroking her hair.

"S-Sonoda-san?"

"I understand your feelings."

Ayumu felt a light blush dust across her face as she gave out a wry chuckle, "Don't be silly, Sonoda-san... It was a stupid thing to say - I'm really just jealous it's easy for everyone to communicate, like a child or something! That's all it i-"

"..." Golden-colored eyes struck Ayumu, making her put her head down again like a submissive puppy.

"Hey, don't look at me like that... For an idol to say they're socially inept... it's embarrassing."

"I wasn't always good at communication either," Umi began, thinking back to when she was a child, "I had always been more of a shy kid, and growing up with my interests was social repellent. Even when I first saw Honoka and Kotori, I couldn't think of what to say."

* * *

A small girl with shoulder-length hair looked out at two others from behind a tree, her small, thin face contorted into a look of unease.

"Hehehe, I'm gonna get you, Kotori-tan!!"

"Eek! Honoka-chan! I'm still preparing!"

With a pout, the ginger-haired girl known as Honoka fell flat to her butt on the ground, her side-ponytail flopping up behind her as she looked over at Kotori, "How long are ya gonna spend preparin' anyway, Kotori-tan?"

A giggle escaped from the brown-haired girl, her hands on her knees as she drew pictures in the sand, "Just wait a second... If I don't draw the safe space, then the game might never end..."

"Aww, the game has to end?!?" Honoka cried out, causing Kotori to let out a soft giggle, Umi laughing along quietly from her spot behind the tree.

"Then what about that other girl behind the tree, huh?"

Umi stiffened quickly, ducking behind the tree as Kotori turned her head to look in her direction, "Hmm? What girl, Honoka-chan?"

"That girl!! She's there!" Honoka picked herself off the ground, not bothering to dust off her skirt, "I'll show ya, Kotori-tan!"

Before Honoka could even approach, Umi had already shot to her feet, ready to run away. She had never thought about talking to these girls, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to have them as friends too... yet she was still fearful about making contact. Before she could finish her thoughts, she felt a warm hand on her small shoulder, causing her to cry out in dismay as she turned her bright, gold eyes to see baby blue ones staring right through her.

"Hey, what's your name? My name's Honoka! My friend is Kotori!"

"..." Umi fell to her knees, Honoka crying out in shock.

"Eh?!? Hey, don't be scared! Me and Kotori aren't mad or nothin' - we just wanna know your name!" Crouching down next to her, Honoka looked over at Umi, her touches soft and gentle as she took Umi's hands in hers, "Do you not wanna tell us? It's alright if you don't, but it'd be weird to call you "that girl" all the time!"

"..." She looked down at Honoka's hands, then over at Kotori, who gave the duo a confused look.

"My name's Umi. Umi Sonoda."

* * *

"I didn't have a lot in common with either one of them," Umi spoke solemnly, "Honoka was into baking, Kotori into fashion, and then there was me, with classic Japanese weapon-crafting. Even so, we still shared a bond - Honoka thought I was smart and kind, so she'd give me bread from her family's bakery, while Kotori would research and sew me bags and pouches. We'd all have sleepovers, and play cards, and I felt regrettable that I almost ran away - that I almost gave into that fear."

Ayumu looked up at Umi thoughtfully, her eyes filled with sadness at the heartfelt story.

"I guess what I mean to say is not to worry about anyone else. We'll always be your friends even if you don't say anything, Ayumu, because you show support through actions more than words... The way Honoka treated me that day..." A happy sigh escaped from her mouth, "That's something I'll always remember, since it showed she put in an effort. I'm sure your friend felt the same way too."

"Wow... Sonoda-san, thank you very mu-"

The sliding door was open, Dia stepping in with Ruby's shivering body in her embrace, "We're back! The heat should work now." She set Ruby down on the floor, the small girl shaking violently until she felt the relieving waves of the heater hit her directly.

"Honestly Ruby, you shouldn't have tried to pour in the gasoline by yourself," Dia complained, taking off her own coat, "With your shaky hands, you could have splashed some on yourself. I don't need my sister to become the New Year's feast, especially considering what day it is..." 

"Relax, onee-chan..." Ruby gushed, melting into a puddle on the floor, "Mother and father would probably use me as the centerpiece over anything else. I'm sure eating _me_ on your birthday would be an exceptionally awful thing..."

"Hey, don't just say things like that!! Have some tact!"

"Ehehe, okay onee-chan..."

Ayumu and Umi couldn't help but laugh together, Ayumu feeling warmer than ever surrounded by her new friends.


End file.
